All companies will also work towards providing several additional value added NFC services under their partnership agreement.

PCCW-HKT subscribers are leveraging the UpTeq range of high end SIM from Gemalto to load the Octopus payment functions onto their mobile NFC device.

"Our cooperation with OCL to provide Octopus mobile payment service integrating NFC technology, which is the first such service in Hong Kong, is another example of HKT's efforts to enrich the lifestyle of our customers, who can now enjoy convenient, effective, and secure mobile payment under Octopus' extensive transport and retail coverage all over Hong Kong," said Alex Arena, group managing director of PCCW-HKT.

Convenient payment

Commuters in Hong Kong can now conveniently pay for their journey in the city’s public transport systems through the mobile NFC ticketing service.

This service works for all public transport systems that accept Octopus, a company that delivers a wide range of micro payment services to 95 percent of Hong Kong's population.

Using Sony NFC-enabled smartphones as an e-purse, commuters can top up their Octopus Mobile SIM via any of the Octopus readers in the city.

In addition to making payment for transport users can also pay for their parking tickets, goods purchased at retail shops, food and beverages outlets, as well as tickets at selected entertainment venues.

“I look forward to seeing transport services act as a catalyst that boosts NFC adoption amongst consumers globally and provides the associated reward to the leading transport, mobile and payment operators who deploy it first," said Michael Au, senior vice-president of Telecommunications at Gemalto Asia.